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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · suit · board · content · straw · rush · bass · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rash — a series
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rash — hasty
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — a committee
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bass — low music
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. file — a document
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. board — to get on
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com